Thermoelectric conversion module and method of producing thermoelectric conversion module

Abstract

A thermoelectric conversion module includes an electrically insulating sheet substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements, and a wiring layer. The plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements have an elongated shape extending in a first direction and are arranged such as to be lined up along a second direction intersecting the first direction at the front surface of the sheet substrate. The wiring layer includes a plurality of wires that electrically connect adjacent thermoelectric conversion elements in series at both lengthwise ends. The plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are all p-type thermoelectric conversion elements or are all n-type thermoelectric conversion elements. A thermal resistance value of the wires is not less than a thermal resistance value of the thermoelectric conversion elements.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermoelectric conversion module comprising:
 a sheet substrate that is electrically insulating and has a front surface and a rear surface;   a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements having an elongated shape extending in a first direction and arranged such as to be lined up along a second direction intersecting the first direction at the front surface of the sheet substrate; and   a wiring layer including a plurality of wires that electrically connect adjacent thermoelectric conversion elements in series at both lengthwise ends, wherein   each of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in the first direction,   for two thermoelectric conversion elements among the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements that are adjacent to each other in the second direction, a wire among the plurality of wires directly electrically connects the first end of one of the two thermoelectric conversion elements and the second end of the other of the two thermoelectric conversion elements,   the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are all p-type thermoelectric conversion elements or are all n-type thermoelectric conversion elements,   a thermal resistance value of one of the wires is not less than a thermal resistance value of one of the thermoelectric conversion elements, and   the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements use the temperature difference between the first end and the second end to generate electricity.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are all p-type thermoelectric conversion elements. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 1 , wherein an electrical resistance value of one of the wires is not more than an electrical resistance value of one of the thermoelectric conversion elements. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements all contain carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are also formed at the rear surface in addition to at the front surface of the sheet substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 5 , wherein part of each thermoelectric conversion element formed at the front surface overlaps with part of a thermoelectric conversion element formed at the rear surface in plan view of the sheet substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements all have rectangular shapes that are of roughly the same dimensions. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 1 , wherein respective lengths of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements along the first direction, respective widths of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements along the second direction, and respective thicknesses of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are adjusted such that respective electrical resistance values of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are roughly the same. 
     
     
         9 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 8 , wherein the respective thicknesses of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements are roughly the same, the respective lengths of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements differ, and the respective widths of the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements differ. 
     
     
         10 . The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the sheet substrate has a trapezoidal shape,   the sheet substrate has a first edge corresponding to one leg among two legs of a trapezoid and a second edge corresponding to another leg among the two legs,   a distance between the first edge and the second edge in the first direction increases along the second direction, and   the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements extend along the first direction from the first edge to the second edge.